Schuhplattler polka -- Sat., May 26

Cotulla, TX: 

A little back story: I'm of German descent. A few years ago, Bob and I joined a folk dance group in Portland, Oregon and learned how to dance reels, polkas, waltzes, schottisches, landlers, tarantellas, minuets, the Mexican hat dance, and others.

I've told you how bad the bugs are here. Here's how bad... (At this point you're probably asking yourself what does folk dancing have to do with bugs?)

Well, let me tell you. When I go out during the hot afternoon to check trucks in and out of the gate, the black flies bite my legs. It hurts! I slap my left calf, slap my right knee, slap my left ankle, slap my right thigh. Sometimes four or five bugs bite me at once or in rapid succession.

All I can think is that I look like an Austrian or German doing the Schuhplattler polka which consists of slapping knees, thighs and ankles. You can find YouTube videos of the dance. Here's one: Schuhplattler dance and another Schuhplattler polka.  (I wish I had the whips and could use them like the dancers at the beginning of the second video! That would kill some bugs for sure--or at least keep them at bay. What did you think I wanted whips for?)


Normally, the schuhplattler is a dance in which men try to impress the marriageable ladies with their dancing prowess. In my particular situation, being the only woman in an oil field full of male workers, the men are probably pretty impressed by my thigh-slapping, bug-killing "dance." 

I think they get a "kick" out of it at the very least. I must look pretty silly out there trying to rid myself of the black fly bite-y bugs. At night, it's the mosquitoes. 

Oh well, maybe they're getting as much of a laugh out of it as I am. "Look at that crazy lady!! What is her problem? Is she putting on a dance for us?" 


Ya gotta find humor where you can out here. I think the Texas sun is getting to me. 


Travel "Bug" out.

Internet, Bugs, Birds -- Wed., May 16

Cotulla, Texas:

Our internet connection is so lousy here, we bought a booster to strengthen our signal. Bob plans to install it tomorrow.

 

We have been super busy. I had trucks through the night last night.

 

I was thrilled there were no mosquitoes here. Mosquitoes think I am their buffet line.  That changed after the rains. Now we have gazillions of them: big, nasty, bite-y, Texas-sized mosquitoes. Today, I put on Deep Woods Off to keep the mosquitoes and gnats away. The little annoying gnats fly into your nose. ICK! I keep a piece of paper to fan my face when I'm sitting outside during the afternoon. I have mosquito bites on my legs even with the Off. I think it wore off so I'll have to put some more on.

 

I hate to open the door at night, because about 10 mosquitoes come in if the door is  open a few seconds. Bob, the cats and I hunt them and kill them. 

I love sitting outside in the late afternoon/evening (except for the bugs). Birds come to the generator because it attracts bugs. Today, while I was sitting there reading, I felt something on my side almost under my arm. My mind freaked out thinking it was a tarantula or something. It wasn't. It was my cute little Bewick's wren friend. She must have been trying to catch a bug by my side. I think we startled each other.

The mockingbirds come within a foot or two of my feet and the cardinals come within about six feet. I got some great pics today! 

Peek a boo, I see you.

Smile for the camera.

"Wait a minute! Who the heck are you?"

Mockingbird

Not too afraid of me.

Mockingbird checking me out.

"I guess you're okay."

Sometimes in the evening, right before it gets dark, we see beautiful birds flying up in the sky. I couldn't figure out what they were. I thought they were owls, but no owls looked like that. I found out they're common nighthawks. Love them!

 

When we were in Big Bend National Park at night, again birds we thought were owls flew in our headlights trying to catch bugs. I found out in the Audubon book that those were lesser nighthawks. They have beautiful patterns under their wings when they fly.

 

We definitely want to spend more time in the San Antonio/Austin Hill Country. There is so much to see and do here, plus it's beautiful country with terrific bird-watching! And there's swimming holes galore for hot summer days. (Bob is into that more than I am, unless the water is super warm.) Apparently winters are mild here as well. Supposedly it rarely goes to freezing in the winter.

 

My faithful readers, I leave you with this. I do not know the source, it came to me via email (thanks, Mom):

Forgetter Be Forgotten

My forgetter's getting better,
But my rememberer is broke
To you that may seem funny
But, to me, that is no joke

For when I'm 'here' I'm wondering
If I really should be 'there'
And, when I try to think it through,
I haven't got a prayer!

Ofttimes I walk into a room,
Say 'What am I here for?'
I rack my brain, but all in vain!
A zero, is my score.

At times I put something away
where it is safe, but, Gee
The person it is safest from
Is, generally, me!

When shopping I may see someone,
Say 'Hi' and have a chat,
Then, when the person walks away
I ask myself, 'who the heck was that?'

Yes, my forgetter's getting better
While my rememberer is broke,
And it's driving me plumb crazy
And that isn't any joke.

CAN YOU RELATE???
Please send this to everyone you know because
I DON 'T REMEMBER
WHO I SENT THIS TO!